Chocolate-coating machine.



Patented 1an. 2r, .1902. .1. L. mann. cH'ocoLAtE co'A-Tma MAcHmE.

(Appnmio med oct. '3, 1901:,

(No Model.)

3 Sheets-Sheet 2.

Patented 1an. 2|-, |902.

'.l. L. DERN.

CHOCOLATE GUATING MACHINE.

4(Application led Oct. 3, 1901.)

(No Model.)

we sums Farias co, PHorouTHo.. WASHINGTON, n, n.

Patented lar'l. 2|, |902.

No. 69mm.

.1. L. um. CHUGDLATE COATING MACHINE.

(Application led Oct. 3, 1901.)

3'Shaets-Sheet 3.`

(No Model.)

llll I l Illll UNITED STATES PATENT EEICTE.b

' JASPER LEE DERN, or PH'ILADELPEIA, PENNSYLVANIA.

CHOCOLATE-,COATIN MACHINE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 691,610, dated January 2,1, 1902.

To if/ZZ whom, it may concern: y

Be itvknown that I, JASPER LEE DERN, a citizen of the United States, residing in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, have invented certain'lmprovements in ChocolateCoating Machines, of which the following is a speciiication.

My invention relates to certain improvements in machines for covering articles with a coating or film .of any desired substance, and more particularly to an improved niachine for coating candies with chocolate.

The object lof my invention is to provide a machine which shall coat candieswith chocolate in a more eiiicient manner than has hitherto been possible, thereby securing a product of improved quality and that at a reductionin the cost of manufacture thereof. This object I attain as hereinafter set forth,- reference being had to the accompanying draw ings, in whichi f Figure lis a plan View of my improved machine with the casing which normally incloses its upper portion removed.` Fig.,2 is a front elevation of the machine. Fig. 3 is a sectional elevation of the machine, taken on the line 3 3, Fig. 1; and Fig. 4 is a sectional ele-k vation on the line t 4, Fig. 1.

In the above drawings, A is the body of the main casing of the machine, supported on two metallic frames or Standards A', these latter serving to support the main vdriving-shaft B and a counter-shaftB. As shown in Fig. 1, the main casing of the machine consists of a circular vessel, preferably of iron, on which is supported a kettle or meltingfpot ct, there being a space between the main casing and this kettle in which is a coil of pipe c', connected 4through an inlet-pipe ,0.2, extending through the bottom ofthe casing A to any suitable source of hot-water or steamsupply. At the center of the bottom of the meltingkettle a is a shaft as, havingon its end a spider to which are bolted arms a4, these having their ends turned up at right angles to their length, so that they are in close proximity to the bottom and sides of the kettle.

There are upwardly-projecting ngers or pins a5 on'each of the arms, as shown, and it willof course be understood that the number and arrangement of these maybe altered in any of the constructions commonly known Application led October 3, 1901.i Serial No. 77.478. (No model.)

S l to the art.- There is a casting a fixed in an opening in the bottom of ,the main casing, through which the shaft a3 extends, and there is a stufiing-box a7 provided between. the said shaft and the casing to prevent leakageof material from within the kettle a. The lower end of the shaft-a3 carries a bevel gear-Wheel o, meshing with another gear-wheel Z9', fixed to a sleeve b3, loosely supported upon -the shaft B'. This' sleeve carries a sprocketwheel b4, placed in line with a second sprockettixed to the main driving-shaft B.- There is apipe a8, provided with a valve openinginto the Space between ,the kettle a, and the interior of' thecasing A, and' this latter is also provided with an outlet a9, through which liquid may be drawnoff'from the space between the kettle and said casing..

It will be noted that the main casing Aex- 'tends beyond the circular outlines yof the melting-kettle a, taking a rectangular'section andV forming a vessel the shape of va section of a cylinder. The middle of the kettle a extends into-this vessel, the whole having a fiange around its upper edge and being retained in position within the casing A by means of a piece c', between which andthe top edge of the casing Said flange is confined. Attached in any Suitable manner tothispiece c and extending above and inclosing a space for the melting-kettle proper is a secondcasing C, the same being provided with three hinged doors c', c2, and c3, respectively, through which material to be `melted and trays containing the objects to be coated maybe introduced into the chamber thus formed, of which the melting-kettle forms a part. Supported upon the edge of the' main casing A and within the casing C, which is shown removed in all of the drawings eXceptFig. 4, are Y two pairs of standards or guides d, each pair having vertical surfaces between which a a cross-piece d2 joining the two cross-heads of the machine.

There are pins or bolts d3 upon each of the cross-heads, to which are attached connecting-rods d4, the other ends of these latter being engaged by crank-.pins d5 on gear-'wheels d, revolubly supported on the sides rof the wheel b5, preferably smaller in diameter and Slide or cross-head d is placed, there being IOO casing A. These gear-wheels are operated by pinions if, xed to the counter-shaft B'. Said shaft is in turn operated from a sprocketwheel 117, connected by a sprocketchain to another sprocket-wheel bs, loosely carried on the main shaft B. By means of a treadle e anydesired form of clutch, as E, may be made to engage the sleeve upon which the sprocket L8 is carried, thereby causing it to revolve and actuate the counter-shaft B and its attached mechanism.

Returning tothe cross-piece (Z2, which connects the cross-heads d, it will be seen from Fig. l that there are lateral extensions near each ofits ends, and cach of said extensions carries depending bars or rods f, supporting on their lower ends a plate F. Also fixed to the lowerends of the rodsfare lugsf, through which and the plate Fl pass rods or bars f2, these being provided with collars f3 and carrying springs f4, confined between said collars and the lugs j". There are rods Z7 extending` between the upright standards d, and the vertical rods f2 are of such length that they come into engagement with the rod (Z7 at one portion of their path of movement, the lower ends of the rods f2 carrying a rectangular frame or carrier F. Held by screws to the upper edge of the plate F farthest from the door c2 are curved pieces f5, placed as shown in dotted lines, Fig. l. The curved portion of the said pieces extends toward a carrier H far enough to just clear the same as their supporting-plate F is lowered in a manner and for a purpose to be described hereinafter.

Upon each side ofthe casing C is a system of rods and levers g, g', g2, g3, g4, g5, and g, these being operated from the cross-heads d' by means of a rod g?, extending through the casing C. The free ends of the rods g2 and gG are pivoted to the doors c2 and c3, respectively, of the casing C, the said doors being opened or shut, according as the cross-heads are at the upper or lower portions of their stroke. A second pair of standards h is also supported from the casing A within the casing C, their upper portions being extended laterally and providing bearings for a pair of vertical rods h', the said standards also providing horizontal bearings for a shaft H'. The upper parts of the rods h are connected by a cross-bar h2, and there is an open carrier H supported from their lower ends.

` There are star-wheels h3 fixed to the shaft I'l just under the cross-bars h2, which normally rest upon said wheels, and there is a pulley-wheel h4 upon the outboard end of the said shaft, which is bolted to a smaller pulley-wheel on the shaft I', carried in bearings in the main standard or frame of the machine A. This latter shaft has fixed to it star-wheels t', upon which rest cross-bars t", connecting vertical rods i2, supported in suitable bearings in a casting t3, fixed to the main frame A. These rods have collars i fixed to them, and there are springs i5 confined between these collars and the upper portion of the casting The upperends ofthe vertical bars i2 are connected by a cross-bar t, and to these bars castings i7 are pivoted, there being projections is on the said castings, which engage With the said cross-bars. These castings support between them a frame or carrier I, similar to the carriers F and H, and are attached to said carrier at a point somewhat back of the centralline,so that the overhung Weight of the outer edge ofthe carrier keeps the whole horizontal and the stop i8 against the projection of the cross-bar i6. There are coils of steam-pipes 7c supported from the upper part of the sides of the interior of the casing C. These are connected in any suitable manner to a source of supply.

In operation the space between the casing A and the kettle to is filled with water, and steam is introduced into the coils of the pipe ci. Chocolate or other material with which it is desired to coat candies is placed Within the kettle through the opening closed by the door c and is melted therein. The main shaft B is now setin motion, power being applied to the driving-pulley, and this revolves the arms CL4 through the mechanism above described, keeping the melted contents of the kettle d mixed and preventing any possible burning. A tray containing articles to be coated is now introduced through the open door cl2 on the carrier F, and the treadle c is depressed by the foot of the operator. This causes motion to be imparted to the small sprocket-wheel ha upon the main shaft B, and this in turn revolves the shaft B', and with it the pinions b. These are allowed to revolve long enough to cause the gear-wheels d6 to accomplish one complete revolution, after which the clutch E is automatically thrown out of engagement with the sleeve carrying the sprocket ha, and this part of the apparatus remains out of action until the treadle is again depressed. The movement of the gear-wheels d6 has caused the cross-heads d' to move down and then up in their guides CZ, thus also carrying down the crosspiece d2 and dipping its carrier F, with the tray of candies, into the melted substance within the kettle. It will be noted that as the cross-heads, with the cross-piece Z2 and its suspended parts, begin a downward stroke the plate F' lowers until it is stopped by contact with the Lipper surface of the tray containing the candy, which is placed on the carrier F, and it will be noted that this tray is kept tightly pressed against the said plate F' by means of the upward action ofthe springs f4 acting through the rods f2. After the carrier F and its tray have been dipped and as it is approaching the top part of its stroke the rods f2 contact with the cross-bars CF, causing the carrier F to be held stationary, while the plate F' continues its upward motion for a short distance. It will be noted that at the beginning of the downward motion of the cross-heads d the rod g7 also moves downward, thus permitting the doors c2 and c3 to close, these being again opened when the said IIO cross-heads strike the same rod near the end of its upward motion. A second tray is now introduced through the door c2, this pushing the first tray originally on the carrier F onto the carrier H, and as the carrier F, with the second tray, is again made to descend into the kettle the curved pieces f5 come in contact with the edge of the first tray overhanging the carrier H and push it onto the said carrier.

It will be seen from Fig. l that there is a pulley b9 at one end of the driving-shaft B, and this is belted to the pulley i9 on the shaft I', from which motion is transmitted through the pulley @'10 to the pulley7 h4 on the shaft H. This revolves the star-Wheels h3, and thus causes a continuous vibration of'the crossbar h2, together' with the attached carrier H, on account of lthe successive blows struck upon the under surface of said cross-bar by the projections of the star-wheels. Thisraction very elfectuall y im parts rapid vibrations or a series of comparatively violent jars to the candy-containing tray on said table, and the surplus particles ofv comparatively dried chocolate or other substance adhering to the surface of the candies in said tray are @Eectually dislodged and fall back into the kettle. Should this vibration displace the first tray upon the carrier II toward the reciprocating mechanism of which the carrier F forms a part, said first tray is pushed back into place by the curved pieces f5 as the carrier F and its plate lF rise from a dip in the kettle. In the meanwhile the carrier F has again been dipped into the kettle and a third tray introduced into the casing C through the door c2. This in turn has pushed the'second tray from the carrier F onto the carrier H and has pushed the first tray from the carrier H Within the casing C through the door c3 onto the carrier I. A rapid jarring vibration is given to thislatter carrier-through the agency of the star-Wheel t', upon which said carrier is supported, and whatever particles of material still remain upon the candies are finally dislodged and caught in th-el `Cylinderlike vessel under the carrier I. A piece of oiled paper is now placed over the first tray of candies and by pressure uponithe outer edge of the carrier I it is made to revolve, and the said candies are deposited upon the oiled paper and removed.

It will be understood that while the machine is in operation steam or other heating fiuid is circulated through the pipes 7c, keeping the interior of the chamber comprised by the casing C and the kettle a at any desired temperature, thus making it possible to remove the adheringsurplus particles of chocolate or other material from the candies before the said chocolate has hardened too greatly to render this impossible.

It will thus be seen that the above-described machine is a decided improvement in the art, for where it has been customaryto maintain the room in which machines of this character were operating at a high temperature simply for the purpose of preventing too rapid hardening of the coating material I am en- 7o abled to close the machine and accomplish the same object at a greatly-lessened expense and in a much more advantageous manner. By the system of automatically operated doors employed I am enabledvto retain the heat within the casing and to operate theasame in a most efficient manner.

I claim as my invention- 1. In a machine of the characterdescribed, the combination of a kettle, means forheat- 8o ing the same, a carrier for supporting a tray of objects to be coated, a casinginclosing said carrier thereby forminga chamber of which the kettle is a part, with means for causing the carrier to descend into the kettle at will, 85 substantially as described.

2. In a machine of thecharacterdescribed, the combination of a kettle, means for heating the same, a carrier for supporting a tray of objects to be coated, a casing inclosiug said 9o carrier thereby forminga chamber of which the kettle is a part, means for heating the interior of the casing other than the means for heating the kettle, with means for reciprocating the said carrier in a vertical plane at will and thereby causing it to enter said kettle, substantially as described.

3. In a chocolate-coating machine, the combination of a kettle, means for heating the same, a carrier supported over the kettle for roo carrying a tray containing objects to be coated, a device for removing surplus material from said objects after they have been coated,

a casing inclosing the carrier and the said device,the same forming a chamber ofwhich [o5 the kettle is a part, and means for reciprocating the carrier so that it enters the kettle and means for operating the device for remov-g ing surplus material from the'objects coated, substantially as described. et. In a machine of the character-describd, the combination of a kettle, a closedj casing over the same, a carrier over thejkettle within the casing, with means for reciprocating it at will so that it enters the kettle, doors on the said casing for the admission of trays containing objects to be coated, and means for automatically opening said doors when the carrieris at the upper part of its path of move-l ment, substantially as described. l

5. In a machine of the character described, the combination Aof a kettle,a closed casing over the same, a carrier over the kettle within the casing, with means for reciprocating itat will so that it enters the kettle, doors on the 125 said casing for the admission of trays containing objects to be coated, and means operated by the carrier-reciprocating mechanism for automatically opening said doors as the carrier approaches the upper portion of its path v13o of movement, substantially as described.

6. In a machine of the character described, the combination of a frame, a kettle, a carrier over the same, means for reciprocating the carrier and for causing it to enter said kettle, means for retaining objects in position on a tray placed on said carrier when the whole is lowered into the kettle, said carrier being constructed to contact with a fixed portion of the frame and to be stopped thereby before it reaches the top of its stroke, said reciprocating means with the retaining means being constructed to continue moving after the carrier has come to rest, substantially as described.

7. In a machine of the character described, the combination of a kettle, standards on opposite sides of the same, a frame constructed to be reciprocated in a vertical plane on said standards, a plate rigidly attached to the frame and a carrier resiliently held thereto, with means for causing the plate to move down upon a tray on said carrier and for moving the whole into the kettle, said plate being raised from the carrier after the latter has ceased moving, substantially as described.

8. In a machine of the character described, the combination of a kettle, a casing attached to and over the same forming a chamber of which the kettle is a part, a carrier constructed to hold a tray containing objects to be coated, means for moving said carrier into the kettle, a second carrier, means for vibrating said second carrier, both of the carriers being within the said casing, and doors in the casin g opposite to the carriers, with means for automatically opening and closing said doors, substantially as described.

0. In a machine of the character described, the combination of a kettle, a casing attached to and over the same forming a chamber of which the kettle is a part, a carrier constructed to hold a tray containing objects to be coated, means for moving said carrier into the kettle, a second carrier, means for vibrating said second carrier, both of the carriers being within the said casing, a third carrier revolubly supported outside of the casing, means for vibrating the same, said third carrier being placed to receive a tray as it is delivered from the second carrier, substantially as described.

10. In a machine of the character described, the combination of a kettle, a casing surrounding the same, heating means within the space between the kettle and said casing, a second casing extending above the kettle forming a chamber of which the interior of the kettle is a part, heating means in the upper portion of the second casing, two carriers within the said chamber, means for reciprocating one of the same so that it may be made to enter the kettle at the will of the operator, and means for vibrating the second carrier, substantially as described.

l1. In a machine of the character described, the combination of a kettle, a carrier for carrying trays of articles to be dipped, supported over said kettle, a second carrier atthe same level as the iirst carrier, means for lowering said rst carrier into the kettle and then returning it to its original position, and. means on said carrier for moving a projecting tray fully upon the second carrier as the iirst carrier is lowered into the kettle, substantially as described.

l2. In a machine of the character described, the combination of a kettle, a carrier for earrying trays of articles to be dipped, supported over said kettle, a second carrier at the same level as the first carrier, means for lowering said tirst carrier into the kettle and then returning it to its original position, a device constructed to engage a tray projecting over the edge of the second carrier and move it fully upon said carrier both as the first carrier is raised and lowered, substantially as described.

13. In a machine of the character described, the combination of a kettle, a carrier for supporting trays of articles to be dipped held over said kettle, a second carrier at the same level as the first carrier, means for lowering said first carrier into the kettle and then returning it to its original position, and pieces Xed to the first carrier projecting toward the second carrier constructed to engage a tray projecting over the edge of the second carrier and move it fully upon said carrier as the first carrier is raised or lowered, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

JASPER LEE DERN.

Witnesses:

WILLIAM E. BRADLEY, J os. H. KLEIN. 

